Horseshoe.



no. 690,994. Patented 1an. I4, |902. J. M. MYERS.

HDRSESHDE.

(Application led May 1, 1901.) (No Model.)

TH: www. persas co. moroumn., wAsnmn'rN. u. r:

artnr JOHN M. MYERS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

HORSESHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 690,984, dated January 14, 1 902. Application filed May l, 1901. Serial No. 58.233. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jeiferson and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horseshoes, of which the following is a specification.

The general object of my invention is to provide improved means for attaching shoes to the hoofs of horses and mules.

The particular object of my invention is lo provide improved means for `detachably securing shoes in the form of pads or cushions to the feet of such animals.

Itis very desirable that horses7 feet should be made easy and comfortable when notat work. vVhen the iron shoes or the pads or cushions are permanently secured to the hoofs, the animal will frequently suffer with corns, cracked hoofs, dac.; but if the hoofs are relieved from time to time, so that there may be a natural pressure on the frogs of the hoofs and a chance to expand and contract, these ailments are greatly relieved and often prevented.

Many devices have been suggested for detachably securing shoes, pads, and cushions to horses7 hoofs; but many of them are so complicated that the attendant neglects to use them. Ihave provided means for detachably securing a shoe, pad, or cushion to a horses hoof which are so simple that they can be quickly and easily manipulated, either in attaching or detaching, and little extra labor is given to the attendant, and hence they are apt to be used and the animal thus given the benefit of the relief afforded by the removal of the shoe, pad, or cushion used when at work.

In carrying out myinvention I permanently attach to the hoof a plate which at the heel end is provided with slots or recesses for the reception of hooks on the shoe and at the toe end with a lug perforated to receive a bolt. The shoe, pad, or cushion is provided near the heel end with hooks adapted to engage the slots of the hoot`-plate and near the toe with a perforated lug screw-threaded to receive a screw or bolt which passes through the lug at the toe end of the hoof-plate. A metallic shoe may be detachably secured to the hoof-plate in this way, or instead of using a metallic shoe of ordinary construction al pad or cushion may be secured to a plate provided with hooks at the heel and alug at the toe, as before described, or the plate instead of being provided with a cushion of soft material may he formed with calks or icecreepers.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a View of the under side of a horses` hoof with my improved hoof-plate attached. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ot' the same with the pad affixed. Fig. 3 is a view, partlyin longitudinal central section and partly broken away, of a hoof with my improved devices applied. Fig. LLis a top plan View ot the pad or removable member of r the shoe. Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal central section through the pad on the line 5 5 ot Fig. 4.

The hoof-plate A is U-shaped, comparatively thin, and conforms to the shape of the hoof at the front end and as far baclc as the two arms of the plate extend; but the arms of the plate do not extend back as far as an ordinary horseshoe, but terminate, preferably, about midway the length of the frog of the hoof. The plate A is provided at the heel ends with recesses or slots d, which are undercut, as shown, presenting inclined Walls d' at front and rear. At the toe end the plate A is formed with an upwardly-projecting lug d2, which extends upwardly into the toe of the hoof. The plate A is preferahlyarranged in a similarly-shaped recess cut out of the under side of the hoof, and the lug a2 is preferably countersunk in a recess formed in thetoe.

B indicates 'a plate which is somewhat narrower than the hoof or the hoof-plate A, leaving a margin at its opposite side edges and at the heel. It also has a space b between the wings B', and'each of the wings is provided with a hook C, adapted to enter the recesses d in the hoof-plate and to engage with the inclined walls d thereof. At the toe the plate extends to the front end of the toe of the hoof and a short distance in rear of the toe; but practically at the toe end of the plate there is an upwardly-projecting lug D, having a screw-threaded opening d to receive the screw or bolt E.

F indicates a pad or cushion of some soft material, such as rubber, which is preferably IOO grooved atfon its under side, lThe plate B` is secured to the upper side of this cushion or pad, preferably by screws j, and in order t0 provide a fiat surface 0n the upper side of the pad I preferably employ a lling G, of leather or similar material, which fills the space b between the Wings B of the plate and also the space at the heel and around the margin of the plate. The filling may be secured to the rubber cushion F by means of screws g or other securing devices. 'Ihe padplate is by preference formed with a'downwardly-extending ange H at the toe, which extends into a recess and is'countersunk in the toe end of the cushion F. The hoof is cut away at as indicated Vin Figs. l and 3, to allow for the passage of the bolt E and for the reception of the lug D.

The removable member of the shoe shown in Figs. It and 5 may be Very quickly attached to the stationary member shown in Fig. l by simply inserting the hooks C in the slots or recesses a., sliding the removable member forward for a short distance to cause the hooks to engage, then inserting the bolt E through the lug o2, and securing it into the lug D. This locks the parts firmly together. The removable member may be as quickly detached by simply withdrawing the screw E and sliding the removable member rearwardly until the hooks are disengaged from the recesses a.

outer member of the shoe be removed for the purpose of allowing the foot to rest, but it may readily be removed and replaced by a new outer member when desired. The inner member of the shoe is not subjected to much Wear and usually ontlasts the outer member.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of the plate attached to the hoof having the recesses at th'e heel, and the perforated lug at the toe, the removable member having the hooks at the heel and the perforated screw-threaded lug at the toe, and a bolt for attaching the lugs at the toe.

2. The combination of the hoof-plate having the recesses at the heel and the perforated lug at the toe, the pad-plate having the hooks at the heel and the perforated screw-threaded lug at the toe, a bolt attaching the two lugs together, and a cushion of soft material secured to the pad-plate.

3. The combination of the hoof-plate having the undercut recesses at the heel and the perforated -lug at the toe, the pad-plate having the forwardly-projecting hooks at the heel and the perforated screw-threaded lug at the toe, the cushion of relatively soft material secured to the pad-plate, and the filling surrounding the pad-plate and attached to the pad.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN M. MYERS.v

Witnesses:

RAYMOND C. MYERS, El). MEGLEMRY. 

